


Occupation Adaptations

by AniMaestro



Category: Carmen Sandiego (Cartoon 2019)
Genre: Domestic, Family Reunions, Gen, Julia gets a break from work, not sure about that last tag
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-17
Updated: 2021-03-24
Packaged: 2021-03-26 16:28:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,280
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30108801
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AniMaestro/pseuds/AniMaestro
Summary: Julia gets some time off from work and decides to use the time to relax at home with her parents. As time passes, They all begin to notice how her line of work in "Interpol" (wink wink nudge nudge) has changed her.
Comments: 5
Kudos: 14





	1. Night Time Arrival

**Author's Note:**

> ok so this is my first fic and this started off as a 1am idea that grew into this so yeah this'll be a fun test run i think. enjoy!
> 
> y'all ever go on holiday and you arrive at night time and just can't wait to sleep? you just gravitate to that bed cause you know you're barely standing. forget brushing your teeth, man sleep awaits.

Julia Argent was enjoying some time back home. Not in her apartment in Poitiers, a place she had hastily purchased when she began working in Interpol, but in the place she grew up in: London. It had been ages since she had seen her parents in person. They ushered her inside, her Mum whipping up a brilliant but simple meal which was heartily enjoyed between exchanged pleasantries and questions about work, which were tactfully ignored or diverted. Julia excused herself shortly afterwards, taking her suitcase and making her way upstairs into her room. She looked out towards the buildings framed by her window, the usual downpour filling in the few spaces unoccupied by structures. Despite the dreary view, a small sigh of content left the woman.

  
Looking around, she had never really considered how much she had missed home- or rather, her bedroom. The room was decorated simply, a few educational awards balanced precariously on the top of a filled bookcase and a twin sized bed positioned in the far corner of the room, partially hidden from view by a set of drawers, as though sleep was just an afterthought. In the centre of the back wall, a large desk stood. Though the desk was empty, it was clear that much time had been spent behind it. Stains from the bottom of mugs were scattered across the right side of the desk, and the centre of the dark wood was faintly bleached due to the hours spent working under lamplight.

She walked over to the bookcase, finding sliding a finger down the spine of a battered copy of “Goodnight Mr. Tom”, noting the layer of dust that adhered to the digit. She remembered how the book had made her cry, lying in her bed late at night with tears silently streaming down her face. The memory brought on a wry smile. It also made her realise just how tired she was. ‘ _I have a long overdue appointment with that mattress,’_ She thought, turning to face the bed.

Julia saw where the headboard of the bed had scraped at the light blue wallpaper behind it, a testimony to the years spent flinging herself onto the comfortable mattress. The whitish wall peeked out from behind the pleasant hue of blue, remaining despite her father’s numerous attempts to paint over it. She approached the bed, moving as though in a trance as she dropped her suitcase in the centre of the room and placed her glasses on top of her drawers. She then flopped onto her bed, the cushioning of the mattress drawing her into a near instant sleep.  
  



	2. Unpacking Shenanigans

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Julia gets unpacking. No, unfortunately for you angst gremlins out there, not the emotional kind (yet(?) I don't have a clue as to where I'm going to take this, I'll be honest).

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i personally dont unpack and just completely ruin the tidy packing of my suitcase whilst on the quest to find that one shirt that i swear i packed, but yeah. ShEnaNIgAns.
> 
> Enjoy!

A loud, aggravated exclamation woke Julia. She sat up to be greeted by the view of her mother standing in the doorway, fussing about how Julia “hadn’t unpacked yet”, and that she “was going to ruin her day clothes if she slept in them”. Julia rubbed the sleep out of her eyes, wondering why she hadn’t bothered to unpack as she had done for all her visits prior.

With a start, she realised that she had spent so long with ACME chasing down Carmen Sandiego around the globe, bouncing from place to place, that she had gotten used to living in a suitcase. She had grown accustomed to pulling out whatever she needed from her suitcase, making sure she was practically always ready whenever Chief dispatched them in hopes to capture the elusive Crimson Ghost. Julia also didn’t like to admit that, shortly after a late night call from Chief, she had developed a habit of sleeping fully dressed so as to never embarrass herself over her attire - _should_ the need arise for someone to contact Julia in the early hours of the morning again.   
  
“Alright, Mum, I’ll put my things away!” Julia chuckled heartily, cutting through the motherly tirade of the woman before her. Sitting beside the suitcase, Julia didn’t have to rummage to find her belongings, confident in her knowledge of the contents of the case. Her hand dipped into a compartment in the suitcase, pulling out her toiletries, all contained in a Ziploc bag. Behind her, Julia heard her mother let out a snort. Julia turned to see her mother standing in the doorway, hand clamped over her mouth.  
  
Confusion worked its ways into Julia’s features, an unspoken question forming across her face. She watched as her maternal figure doubled over, unable to contain her mirth.

“It-”, she gasped, trying to regain her bearings. Julia felt her mouth quirk upward, unable to puzzle out what had sent her mother into hysterics. “You-” Her Mum attempted to explain, failing spectacularly as tears began forming in her eyes. Julia stood in her room, patiently waiting for her Mum to divulge some form of clarification. She watched as her mother gasped like a fish out of water, clutching her hand to her chest and bending at the waist. Had she not known better, Julia would have thought her mother had just completed a lengthy sprint.  
  


A few minutes passed before her mother was able to compose herself enough, wiping tears from her eyes. “I didn’t realise you became a collector, Julia.” She gestured towards the Ziploc bag, which was near bursting with a wide assortment of hotel provided toiletries. Small shampoo and conditioner bottles, tiny soaps and a collection of disposable shower caps. Here and there were minute toothpaste tubes, a single toothbrush poking out from above the sea of miniature cleanliness products.

“They have to throw them out afterwards, so I’d much rather put them to use” Julia explained, slightly abashed. Her mother regarded the bag carefully.

“You must have stayed in a lot of hotels.” her mother observed. Julia recognised where this was heading, that she was about to tread dangerous territory. Last night wasn’t filled with too many questions regarding her work, and she was able to use the energy of the night to divert their attention elsewhere, get them to talk about themselves to avoid them asking questions. _‘That sounds familiar’_ , Julia thought dryly, thinking back to her first encounter with _La Femme Rouge_.

“Working at Interpol had me moving around more than I anticipated,” Julia shrugged, turning to kneel at the suitcase so as to prevent her mother from seeing her face. Her hands pulled out stacks of sorted clothing, a pile of shirts, a pile of jumpers, a variety of bottoms, all folded neatly. It only took a few minutes to shove everything into one of the drawers by her bed. Glancing over her shoulder, Julia saw her doorway was now vacant, allowing her to relax and release the air she had been holding in. She was glad her mother didn't press for anything more, aware that telling half-truths would only get her so far.

With her things all in their respective places, Julia pushed the suitcase behind the open door, making the room seem less cluttered and more open. She grinned and gave herself a mental pat on the back, knowing this would placate mother dearest. Meandering over to the bookcase, she looked at the awards, trophies ranging from small plastic attendance awards, to a framed picture of her graduation. She grinned, remembering how her father was so overcome with emotion he insisted on taking the picture. A quick image of the usually stoic man with tears running down his face, his sheer pride and joy being expressed in incomprehensible sobs.

Allowing herself to get lost in her memories, Julia failed to hear the clatter of utensils, until a rich aroma drifted into her room through the door, the smell of breakfast beckoning to her empty stomach. Nose first, Julia made her way down to the kitchen.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> totally didnt update this in the middle of my chemistry class, so please do forgive if my grammar or spelling is incoherent. i don't like beta reading ;-;
> 
> Have a nice day, y'all :D

**Author's Note:**

> so yeah! i dont know how long im gonna keep this up for but im totally gonna try. any tips and criticism is welcomed, im aware at how awkward my writing style can be - i totally blame the fact that im always writing this in the late hours of the night ;-;


End file.
